diff --git a/django/core/handlers/base.py b/django/core/handlers/base.py
index b206c70b05..fbe7a8b8a0 100644
--- a/django/core/handlers/base.py
+++ b/django/core/handlers/base.py
@@ -43,6 +43,11 @@ class BaseHandler(object):
         self._exception_middleware = []
 
         if settings.MIDDLEWARE is None:
+            warnings.warn(
+                "Old-style middleware using settings.MIDDLEWARE_CLASSES is "
+                "deprecated. Update your middleware and use settings.MIDDLEWARE "
+                "instead.", RemovedInDjango20Warning
+            )
             handler = self._legacy_get_response
             for middleware_path in settings.MIDDLEWARE_CLASSES:
                 mw_class = import_string(middleware_path)
diff --git a/docs/internals/deprecation.txt b/docs/internals/deprecation.txt
index d4bde35a46..99c9db5e50 100644
--- a/docs/internals/deprecation.txt
+++ b/docs/internals/deprecation.txt
@@ -181,6 +181,9 @@ details on these changes.
   ``Meta.manager_inheritance_from_future`` to opt-in to this behavior will be
   removed.
 
+* Support for old-style middleware using ``settings.MIDDLEWARE_CLASSES`` will
+  be removed.
+
 .. _deprecation-removed-in-1.10:
 
 1.10
diff --git a/docs/ref/settings.txt b/docs/ref/settings.txt
index a7801f715c..b7ba1f6b5e 100644
--- a/docs/ref/settings.txt
+++ b/docs/ref/settings.txt
@@ -1860,6 +1860,12 @@ A list of middleware to use. See :doc:`/topics/http/middleware`.
 ``MIDDLEWARE_CLASSES``
 ----------------------
 
+.. deprecated:: 1.10
+
+    Old-style middleware that uses  ``settings.MIDDLEWARE_CLASSES`` are
+    deprecated. :ref:`Adapt old, custom middleware <upgrading-middleware>` and
+    use the :setting:`MIDDLEWARE` setting.
+
 Default::
 
     [
diff --git a/docs/releases/1.10.txt b/docs/releases/1.10.txt
index 13e5f44d5b..a73790b9b8 100644
--- a/docs/releases/1.10.txt
+++ b/docs/releases/1.10.txt
@@ -1142,6 +1142,10 @@ Miscellaneous
   :meth:`Storage.generate_filename()
   <django.core.files.storage.Storage.generate_filename>`).
 
+* Old-style middleware that uses  ``settings.MIDDLEWARE_CLASSES`` are
+  deprecated. :ref:`Adapt old, custom middleware <upgrading-middleware>` and
+  use the new :setting:`MIDDLEWARE` setting.
+
 .. _removed-features-1.10:
 
 Features removed in 1.10
diff --git a/tests/auth_tests/test_context_processors.py b/tests/auth_tests/test_context_processors.py
index d1db63c7b2..150703440b 100644
--- a/tests/auth_tests/test_context_processors.py
+++ b/tests/auth_tests/test_context_processors.py
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ from django.contrib.auth.models import Permission, User
 from django.contrib.contenttypes.models import ContentType
 from django.db.models import Q
 from django.test import SimpleTestCase, TestCase, override_settings
+from django.test.utils import ignore_warnings
+from django.utils.deprecation import RemovedInDjango20Warning
 
 from .settings import AUTH_MIDDLEWARE, AUTH_TEMPLATES
 
@@ -76,6 +78,7 @@ class AuthContextProcessorTests(TestCase):
         response = self.client.get('/auth_processor_no_attr_access/')
         self.assertContains(response, "Session not accessed")
 
+    @ignore_warnings(category=RemovedInDjango20Warning)
     @override_settings(MIDDLEWARE_CLASSES=AUTH_MIDDLEWARE, MIDDLEWARE=None)
     def test_session_not_accessed_middleware_classes(self):
         response = self.client.get('/auth_processor_no_attr_access/')
@@ -90,6 +93,7 @@ class AuthContextProcessorTests(TestCase):
         response = self.client.get('/auth_processor_attr_access/')
         self.assertContains(response, "Session accessed")
 
+    @ignore_warnings(category=RemovedInDjango20Warning)
     @override_settings(MIDDLEWARE_CLASSES=AUTH_MIDDLEWARE, MIDDLEWARE=None)
     def test_session_is_accessed_middleware_classes(self):
         response = self.client.get('/auth_processor_attr_access/')
diff --git a/tests/auth_tests/test_remote_user.py b/tests/auth_tests/test_remote_user.py
index 1cb7666a49..2b5bf32d74 100644
--- a/tests/auth_tests/test_remote_user.py
+++ b/tests/auth_tests/test_remote_user.py
@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@ from django.contrib.auth.backends import RemoteUserBackend
 from django.contrib.auth.middleware import RemoteUserMiddleware
 from django.contrib.auth.models import User
 from django.test import TestCase, modify_settings, override_settings
+from django.test.utils import ignore_warnings
 from django.utils import timezone
+from django.utils.deprecation import RemovedInDjango20Warning
 
 
 @override_settings(ROOT_URLCONF='auth_tests.urls')
@@ -151,6 +153,7 @@ class RemoteUserTest(TestCase):
         self.assertTrue(response.context['user'].is_anonymous)
 
 
+@ignore_warnings(category=RemovedInDjango20Warning)
 @override_settings(MIDDLEWARE=None)
 class RemoteUserTestMiddlewareClasses(RemoteUserTest):
 
diff --git a/tests/flatpages_tests/test_csrf.py b/tests/flatpages_tests/test_csrf.py
index b4ae186d0c..c71d9dfca6 100644
--- a/tests/flatpages_tests/test_csrf.py
+++ b/tests/flatpages_tests/test_csrf.py
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ from django.contrib.auth.models import User
 from django.contrib.flatpages.models import FlatPage
 from django.contrib.sites.models import Site
 from django.test import Client, TestCase, modify_settings, override_settings
+from django.test.utils import ignore_warnings
+from django.utils.deprecation import RemovedInDjango20Warning
 
 from .settings import FLATPAGES_TEMPLATES
 
@@ -99,6 +101,7 @@ class FlatpageCSRFTests(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 404)
 
 
+@ignore_warnings(category=RemovedInDjango20Warning)
 @override_settings(
     MIDDLEWARE=None,
     MIDDLEWARE_CLASSES=[
diff --git a/tests/flatpages_tests/test_middleware.py b/tests/flatpages_tests/test_middleware.py
index 8d04076af6..bba7d6becf 100644
--- a/tests/flatpages_tests/test_middleware.py
+++ b/tests/flatpages_tests/test_middleware.py
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ from django.contrib.auth.models import User
 from django.contrib.flatpages.models import FlatPage
 from django.contrib.sites.models import Site
 from django.test import TestCase, modify_settings, override_settings
+from django.test.utils import ignore_warnings
+from django.utils.deprecation import RemovedInDjango20Warning
 
 from .settings import FLATPAGES_TEMPLATES
 
@@ -107,6 +109,7 @@ class FlatpageMiddlewareTests(TestDataMixin, TestCase):
         self.assertContains(response, "<p>Isn't it special!</p>")
 
 
+@ignore_warnings(category=RemovedInDjango20Warning)
 @override_settings(
     MIDDLEWARE=None,
     MIDDLEWARE_CLASSES=[
@@ -189,6 +192,7 @@ class FlatpageMiddlewareAppendSlashTests(TestDataMixin, TestCase):
         self.assertContains(response, "<p>Root</p>")
 
 
+@ignore_warnings(category=RemovedInDjango20Warning)
 @override_settings(
     MIDDLEWARE=None,
     MIDDLEWARE_CLASSES=[
diff --git a/tests/middleware_exceptions/tests.py b/tests/middleware_exceptions/tests.py
index 13b33632f8..58ac5b965f 100644
--- a/tests/middleware_exceptions/tests.py
+++ b/tests/middleware_exceptions/tests.py
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ from django.http import HttpResponse
 from django.template import engines
 from django.template.response import TemplateResponse
 from django.test import RequestFactory, SimpleTestCase, override_settings
-from django.test.utils import patch_logger
-from django.utils.deprecation import MiddlewareMixin
+from django.test.utils import ignore_warnings, patch_logger
+from django.utils.deprecation import MiddlewareMixin, RemovedInDjango20Warning
 
 
 class TestException(Exception):
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ class NoResponseMiddleware(TestMiddleware):
         super(NoResponseMiddleware, self).process_response(request, response)
 
 
+@ignore_warnings(category=RemovedInDjango20Warning)
 @override_settings(
     ROOT_URLCONF='middleware_exceptions.urls',
     MIDDLEWARE_CLASSES=['django.middleware.common.CommonMiddleware'],
@@ -929,6 +930,7 @@ class MiddlewareNotUsedTests(SimpleTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(len(calls), 0)
 
 
+@ignore_warnings(category=RemovedInDjango20Warning)
 @override_settings(
     MIDDLEWARE_CLASSES=['django.middleware.common.CommonMiddleware'],
     MIDDLEWARE=None,
diff --git a/tests/redirects_tests/tests.py b/tests/redirects_tests/tests.py
index b4210ad49b..d566b69006 100644
--- a/tests/redirects_tests/tests.py
+++ b/tests/redirects_tests/tests.py
@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@ from django.contrib.redirects.models import Redirect
 from django.contrib.sites.models import Site
 from django.core.exceptions import ImproperlyConfigured
 from django.test import TestCase, modify_settings, override_settings
+from django.test.utils import ignore_warnings
 from django.utils import six
+from django.utils.deprecation import RemovedInDjango20Warning
 
 
 @modify_settings(MIDDLEWARE={'append': 'django.contrib.redirects.middleware.RedirectFallbackMiddleware'})
@@ -42,11 +44,13 @@ class RedirectTests(TestCase):
         response = self.client.get('/initial')
         self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 410)
 
+    @ignore_warnings(category=RemovedInDjango20Warning)
     @override_settings(MIDDLEWARE=None)
     @modify_settings(MIDDLEWARE_CLASSES={'append': 'django.contrib.redirects.middleware.RedirectFallbackMiddleware'})
     def test_redirect_middleware_classes(self):
         self.test_redirect()
 
+    @ignore_warnings(category=RemovedInDjango20Warning)
     @override_settings(MIDDLEWARE=None)
     @modify_settings(MIDDLEWARE_CLASSES={'append': 'django.contrib.redirects.middleware.RedirectFallbackMiddleware'})
     def test_more_redirects_middleware_classes(self):
diff --git a/tests/template_tests/test_response.py b/tests/template_tests/test_response.py
index c2ece4b2a8..19e8e1fe99 100644
--- a/tests/template_tests/test_response.py
+++ b/tests/template_tests/test_response.py
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ from django.template.response import (
 from django.test import (
     RequestFactory, SimpleTestCase, modify_settings, override_settings,
 )
-from django.test.utils import require_jinja2
-from django.utils.deprecation import MiddlewareMixin
+from django.test.utils import ignore_warnings, require_jinja2
+from django.utils.deprecation import MiddlewareMixin, RemovedInDjango20Warning
 
 from .utils import TEMPLATE_DIR
 
@@ -361,6 +361,7 @@ class CacheMiddlewareTest(SimpleTestCase):
         self.assertNotEqual(response.content, response2.content)
 
 
+@ignore_warnings(category=RemovedInDjango20Warning)
 @override_settings(
     MIDDLEWARE=None,
     MIDDLEWARE_CLASSES=[
diff --git a/tests/view_tests/tests/test_csrf.py b/tests/view_tests/tests/test_csrf.py
index 22bf96529f..fdd9715476 100644
--- a/tests/view_tests/tests/test_csrf.py
+++ b/tests/view_tests/tests/test_csrf.py
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ from django.template import TemplateDoesNotExist
 from django.test import (
     Client, RequestFactory, SimpleTestCase, override_settings,
 )
+from django.test.utils import ignore_warnings
+from django.utils.deprecation import RemovedInDjango20Warning
 from django.utils.translation import override
 from django.views.csrf import CSRF_FAILURE_TEMPLATE_NAME, csrf_failure
 
@@ -38,6 +40,7 @@ class CsrfViewTests(SimpleTestCase):
                                 "CSRF-verificatie mislukt. Verzoek afgebroken.",
                                 status_code=403)
 
+    @ignore_warnings(category=RemovedInDjango20Warning)
     @override_settings(
         USE_I18N=True,
         MIDDLEWARE=None,
diff --git a/tests/view_tests/tests/test_i18n.py b/tests/view_tests/tests/test_i18n.py
index a50b7d6460..e1cf44782d 100644
--- a/tests/view_tests/tests/test_i18n.py
+++ b/tests/view_tests/tests/test_i18n.py
@@ -10,9 +10,11 @@ from django.test import (
     SimpleTestCase, TestCase, modify_settings, override_settings,
 )
 from django.test.selenium import SeleniumTestCase
+from django.test.utils import ignore_warnings
 from django.urls import reverse
 from django.utils import six
 from django.utils._os import upath
+from django.utils.deprecation import RemovedInDjango20Warning
 from django.utils.translation import (
     LANGUAGE_SESSION_KEY, get_language, override,
 )
@@ -138,6 +140,7 @@ class I18NTests(TestCase):
             self.assertEqual(language_cookie['path'], '/test/')
             self.assertEqual(language_cookie['max-age'], 3600 * 7 * 2)
 
+    @ignore_warnings(category=RemovedInDjango20Warning)
     def test_setlang_cookie_middleware_classes(self):
         # we force saving language to a cookie rather than a session
         # by excluding session middleware and those which do require it
@@ -187,6 +190,7 @@ class I18NTests(TestCase):
         )
         self.assertRedirects(response, '/en/translated/')
 
+    @ignore_warnings(category=RemovedInDjango20Warning)
     @override_settings(
         MIDDLEWARE=None,
         MIDDLEWARE_CLASSES=[